Evaluation the role of plant fences in reducing the level of some spread gases and oxides in the northwestern part of Baghdad

Abstract

The study was applied in the city of Baghdad by choosing the northwestern part of the city on the Karkh side, represented by the highway linking the northwestern entrance to Baghdad (Taji district) to (Darwish Intersection) and administratively named (Salah Al-Din Highway). The study area was divided into five sites that differed in the quality, quantity and distribution of plants used as fences in the middle and sides of the road as well as the density and distance of residential buildings and other human activities from the approaches to the road.

The concentrations of gases and oxides were measured in the field, represented by (CO2), (H2S), (CO), (HCHO) and (O2), in addition to some environmental factors such as temperature, humidity and wind speed. The study ran from July to September 2022, with an average of four visits per month and took concentration rates at morning and afternoon peaks for each site.

(CO2) concentrations ranged from 523.9 ppm to 574.5 ppm and were above acceptable limits for WHO standards and Iraqi determinants of 250 ppm. (CO) concentrations ranged from 0.5 ppm to 113.4 ppm and were also above the acceptable limits of WHO standards at site (A) and site (E) for the study area of 9 ppm, and concentrations of (H2S) ranged between (0 - 62.82) ppm, which exceeded the acceptable limits of WHO standards of 0.047 ppm in all sites except site (C).  Formaldehyde concentrations were between (0.03 - 0.128) mg per cubic meter and recorded the lowest concentration rate in site (A) and highest in site (E).